Method and apparatus for defibering paper and like materials



April 6 ,.1926.

O. C. WINESTOCK 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEFIBERING PAPER AND LIKE MATERIALS 4 0 z w l M m t h ,r S 3 "v. n .t 6 O b 3 v uhn hnuunv nhuhuun M m. 9 1 9 2 v 0 1 x x I l l 1 l l I l 1 II N d\ I e l 1 F April 6 1926. 1,579,461

0. c. 'WlNESTOCK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEFI BERINGPAEER' AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Nov. 29, -1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I n gM Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES OTTO C. WINESTOGK, OF IPEBKINSVILLE, VERMONT.

fiETHOlJ AND APPARATUS FOR DEFIBERING PAPER AND LIKE MATERIALS- Application filed November 29, 1924. Serial No. 752,977.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro C. WINESTOCK,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Perkinsville, in the county of Windsor and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Defibering Paper and like Materials; and I do hereby declare the fol-' lowing to be a full clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a method and apvparatus for defibering paper and like materials use, and has for its object a maximum recovery of fiber stock with a minimum of labor and expense and practically no im-' pairment of the fibers, so that the latter are available for any of the various applications to which the original stock is adapted. To these ends, the invention comprises immersing the material in a liquid medium and subjecting the mixture to rapid and constant reversals of movement within the mass, by the application of rapidly reversed forces of substantially equal intensities and opposite directions, these operations preferably being carried out in a continuously operating machine, including a closed casing provided with means for feeding the paper stock and the liquid thereto at one end and delivering the defibered stock from the opposite end, and a series of rapidly moving blades of alternating opposite pitch in the casing, for producing rapid and constant reversals of movement of the paper stock within the mass, which will be effective in loosening and separating the fibers without rupturing or impairing the individual fibers, and also in dislodging and separating ink or other foreign matter from the fibers, the deinking and cleansing operation being materially facilitated by combining with the immersing liquid a suitable detergent or cleansing agent.

Apparatus for carrying outthe method is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a simple and typical defibering machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the same. 1

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with the cover removed.

It has been proposed heretofore to defelt to render the fibers available for reor defiber paperand like materials by immersing the. material in relatively large volumes of water, containing a suitable detergent, and subjecting the material, while immersed in the liquid, to opposite forces tending to pull the material apart, one of which forces is the inertia of the liquid in which the paper is suspended, the operation being carried out in a circulatory apparatus, including a straight cylindrical tube in which one or more rapidly revolving ropeller blades are mounted, the speed 0 rotation of the blades being sufiicient to cause cavitation within the liquid medium the moving blades serving to exercise a pulling force on the fibers of the paper, which force is resisted by the inertia of the liquid in which the paper is suspended, the resultant of the two forces being ultimately effective in loosening and separating the individual fibers. In order to effect the operation, the mixture of liquid and paper stock is forced in acirculatory path repeatedly through the chamber or tube containing the propelling elements, so that the apparatus is open to the objection that it is periodic and not continuous in operation, and the method has been found to be commercially ineflicient, because of the very large amount of power required to circulate the large body of Water containing a relatively small pro ortion of paper to bedefibered, and also ause of the length of time r uired to effect the defibration of a singld liatch. The relatively large proportion of water required in carying out this old method of defibering is necessary, in order to produce the requisite element of inertia to resist or retard the tendency of the paper to move with the impelling blades. Inasmuch as the inertia of the liquid in which the paper is suspended or immersed is necessarily ve much less than the force produced by the rotatitng blades tending to move the elements of the paper in o of the liquid, it will be apparent that these two forces will necessarily have to be applied repeatedly to the paper stock to loosen and separate the fibers. These two factors, to wit, the very large amount of energy required to circulate the excessive proportion position to the force of inertia of water as compared with the paper stock neceseated applications of the force developed y'the propeller and the opposing force of inertia of the liquid, render the old method objectionable, because of the expense involved, and it is for this reason that the former method and apparatus aforesaid have not proved commercially successful.

The instant invention is commercially feasible and practically efficient for the reason that the method can be carried out at an carrying out the method may be constructed of relatively small size, few and simple parts, which are not liable to undue Wear or impairment, and which may operate continuously without the attention of highly skilled labor.

Referring to the drawings, which show a typical machine that has proven effective in defibering various types, grades and forms of paper and paper stock, 1 ipdicates the lower portion of a casing, to which is secured a generally similar shaped upper section 2, the two sections defining an interior chamber generally rectangular in horizontal cross section and having a transverse section of two intersecting circles. The bottom section is provided with an integral base or standard 1 and the two sections are secured together in liquid tight relation by means of the lateral mating lugs 3 and 4, which are connected together by screw bolts 5. The end walls of the casing are provided with journal bearings 6 and T and 6 and T preferably provided with anti-friction elements to support longitudinal shafts 9 and 11, which are provided with suitable packing glands to prevent leakage. Each shaft is equipped with a series of propellers (lis posed in longitudinal series thereon and rigidly secured thereto to rotate with the shafts. The blades on each propeller are alternately of opposite pitch. As indicated, the blades 12 of propellers 10 on shaft 9 are alternately of right hand and left hand pitch and the blades 14 of propellers 13 are simi larly arranged, that is to say, the right hand blades are interposed between the left hand blades. For most ellective operation. the propellers are arranged in relatively close series on the shafts and are of such diamefor as to fit within the casing with a relatively slight peripheral clearance, the supporting shafts being so disposed that the blades of the propellers on said shafts oven lap each other in certain portions of their rotary movement, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The forward part of the casing is provided with a hopper 16, the discharge end of which is in communication with the inlet opening 17 of the casing, the forward part of the casingimmediately below the inlet opening being clear, to provide a chamber to receive the mixture of paper stock and liquid before the latter is operated upon by the propellers. Discharging into the upper part of the hopper 16 is a pipe 18 for con tinuously delivering the paper stock to the hopper. The hopper is also supplied with a water supply pipe 19 and a pipe 20 for delivering a detergent or cleansing medium to the hopper.

The rotary shaft 9 and 11 are preferably separately driven in the same direction by suitable high speed motors. as for example the steam turbines 30 and 31, as illustrated in Fig. 1, although, obviously, the shafts may be driven by a single motor unit or from any other suitable source of power.

In carrying out the new method, the paper stock is preferably roughly torn into sections or fragments and dusted and fed to a tank containing either cold or warm water in which operates a suitable shredding or tearing device, which reduces the mass of paper to pieces of approximately uniform size, averaging about one square inch in superficial area, for example. The mass of paper and water is quite dense, as a relatively small proportion of water as compared with the amount of paper. is SllillClOHt for all phases of the operation. The prelinn inary shredding of the paper may be effected by any of the various types of apparatus designed for this purpose. This prepared stock is then fed continuously to the defibering machine by the discharge pipe 18 lead ing from the preliminary shredding apparatus to the hopper 1G, and with an additional supply of water at amn'oximatcly 150 degrees Fahrenheit by pipe 19 and a measured quantity of suitable detergent or cleansing medium. such as soap water or soap water and soda ash in solution. or other suitable alkaline cleaner for the purpose of elcanifir the paper fibers of ink particles. stains and other foreign material fed to the hopper by pipe 20. As indicated. the mixture of shredded paper stock and liquid is unite dense. as the liquid carries a very much larger proportion of paper stock than was feasible with the older methods of defibering such stock. lVhen the defibering chann ber has been practically filled with a mixture of stock and the liquid in which th stock is immersed and the propeller shafts are driven at a speed from 2500 to 4000 R. 1 1?, according to the character and texture of the paper stock. there is set up within the machine and within the mass represented by the stock and the water of submergence a .mltiplicity of forces substantially equal in intensity and oppositejn direction. produced by the blades of opposite pitch on the individthe stock,

reversed mass of water and stock ual propellers and the coaction of the corresponding blades on adjacent propellers on the same shaft and also on adjacent propellers on the companion shaft, these equal and opposite forces being constantly and rapidly reversed in direction, which produces a. rapid and constant reversal of the motion of the effect of which is to quickly loosen and separate the individual fibers. In other words, the individuatfibcrs are pulled from the mass by the application of an opposition of forces, which are rapidly due to the alternating reverse pitch of the blades of each propeller and the like alternating reverse pitch of the corresponding blades of adjacentpropellers either on the same shaft or on the companion shaft, which, as indicated, is driven in the same direction. In addition to the positive and opposing forces applied to the fibers of the paper stock, a violent interruption and reversal of the direction of movementof the paper stock in the submerged liquid sets up a commensurably strong vibratory movement of the felted mass of fibers constituting the paper stock, which is most effective in loosening up the fibrous mass, and thereby naterially assisting the opposing and-rapidly reversed forces imposed on the individual fibers by the action of the propeller blades,

as described.

As indicated, the paper stock and the necessary liquid, consisting of warm water or warm water and the cleansing agent, are fed constantly to the machine by gravity, so that the defibering operation is continuous, the dcfibered stock and the liquid being discharged continuously from the outlet 15 at the rear of the machine. At no pointin the operation of the apparatus, are the mechanical means for producing the rapid reversal of the forces operating on the stock. .employed to forward the stock or feed the same through the machine, as the discharge of the defibered stock andthe liquid in which the latter is submerged is effected by the hydrostatic head of and as this can be readily regulated, it is apparent that the operation of the machine may be so timed as to defiber stocks of various characters, consistencies and textures. In other words, by regulating the speed of the propeller shafts and the normal rate of flow of the liquid and stock through the machine, an eifective and complete defibration of any character of stock may be accomplished in a minimum of time. Because of the fact that the only mechanical power required is that necessary to drive the propeller shafts, and inasmuch as the propellers are not employed to move the through the machine, it will be apparent that the machine can be operated at a minimum expenditure of mechanical energy. It will be under- ,vantageously employed alternating in pitch,

the. mixture in the hopper in any sense, operate asmeans for propelling or forcing the mass of'stoch and liquid through the machine.

\Vhile relatively warm water may be adwith certain types of stock. it is not essential that the water he warmed, as, in many cases. water at ordinary temperature, or even cold water, may be used with good efiect. Likewise a relatively mild detergent or cleansing agent; of the character indicated, may be em ployed, which will completely avoid the weakening or impairment of 'the fibers, which is an evil common to the ordinary dc tergents employed in deinking paper stock' heretofore. V

As indicated, the'operat-ion of the mech anism and the process is mechanical power is required to force large volumes of water in a circulatory path through the machine, as has been necessary in the former types of apparatus, and the thoroughly and completely defibered, deinked and cleaned stool; is delivered from the machine continuously. where the recovered pulp may be passed directly to suitable rinsers or pulp washers, after which the mass of fibers 0r pulp is available for any use towhich the original fibers or pulp mass was adapted, as, for example, for immediate reworking into paper or collecting in the form of pulp stock for subsequent use as will be' understood. Y

While the propellers have been shown, in the-exemplary machine, as havingblades it will be understood continuous and no 2 that the apparatus will operate effectively 1f of the series is provided with blades having the same inclination or direction of pit-ch, he blades of alternating propellers being of opposite pitch, which will havethe effect of developing forces of equal intensities and opposite directions between coacting bla'des'of successive propellers.

When the paper stock is to be deinked and cleaned aswell as defibered,. it is desirablev to use warm water, which is fed, together with the detergent, directly to the defibering machine with the paper stock from the hopper, and as the amount of water relatively to the paper stock is much less than that heretofore required, it will be apparent that a material saving is effected in heating the relatively small quantity ofwater. as compared with the heavy cost of heating the very large volumes of water required in the old practice, and the tendency of the fibers. to impairment, due to exposure to hot water for a considerable length of time, is obviated.

each propeller What I claim is:

1. The method of defibering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the material in a liquid, and subjecting the material to the action of substantially equal and opposite forces of the same character transmitted through the liquid and of suliicient intensities to separate the fibers.

2. The method of defib'ering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the material in a liquid, and subjecting the material to the action of substantially equal and opposite rotary forces transmitted through the liquid and of sufficient intensities to separate'the fibers. v

The method of defibering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the same in liquid and subjecting the mass to the action of rapidly reversed forces of substantially equal intensities and opposite directions and of sutiicient intensities to separate the fibers.

l. The method of dctibering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the same in liquid and subjecting the mass to the action of rapidly reversed rotary forces of substantially equal intensities and opposite directions and of sufficient intensities to separate the fibers.

5. The method of defibering paper and similar materials which comprises comminuting the material, innnersing the same in liquid and subjecting the mass to the action of rapidly reversed forces of substantially equal intensities and opposite direclions and of sutlicient intensities to separate the fibers.

3. The. method of del'ibcring paper and similar materials which comprises coinminuting the material. immersing the same in liquid and subjecting the mass to the ad t on of rapidly reversed rotary forces of substantiilly equal intensities and opposite directions and of sutlieient intensities to separate the fibers.

T. The method of defibering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the material in a relatively small amount of liqu d and subjecting the mass to the action ot substantially equal and opposite forces of the same character and of suf iicient intens ties to separate'the fibers. and rapidly reversing the directions of said forces.

8. The method of delibering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the material in a relatively small amount of liquid and subieeting the mass to the action of substantially equal and opposite forces of the same character and of sufficient intensities to separate the fibers and continuously reversing the directions of said forces.

9. The method of defibering paper and similar materials which comprises immersing the material in liquid and passing the mass between propelling elements developing substantially equal and opposite forces of like character in the mass and of sufl icient intensities to separate the fibers.

10. The method of defibering paper and similar materials which comprises immers-' ing the material in liquid and passing the mass between rotary propelling elements developing substantially equal and opposite forces of like character in the mass and of suflicient intensities to separate the fibers.

11. The method of defibering and deinking paper and like materials which comprlses immersing the material in a liquid containing a detergent and subjecting the mass to the action of rapidly reversed forces of substantially equal intensities and opposite directions and of sufficient intensities to separate the fibers.

12. The method of defibering and deinking paper and like materials which comprises flowing the material and a liquid in a continuous volume and effecting rapidly recurring and constant reversals of movement of the material within the mass.

13. Apparatus for delibering paper and like materials comprising a casing, a hopper for feeding the material and a liquid to one end of the casing, a discharge outlet at the opposite end of the casing, and movable blades of opposite pitch operating in said casing to effect rapidly recurring and con stant reversals of movement of the material within the mass.

14. Apparatus for defibering paper and like materials comprising a casing, a hopper for feeding the material and a liquid toone end of the casing, a discharge outlet at the opposite end of the casing, a rotary shaft mounted in the casing. and propeller blades of alternating opposite pitch on said shaft to effect rapidly recurring and constant reversals of movement of the material within the mass.

15. Apparatus for defibering paper and like materials comprising a casing, a hopper for feeding the material and a liquid to one end of the casing. a discharge outlet at the opposite end of the casing. parallel rotating shafts mounted in the casing. and propellers on the shafts. the successive blades on each propeller and the (oi-responding blades of the successive propellers being of opposite pitch.

In testimony whereof I :llTlX my signature.

OTTO o. WINESTOCK. 

